Work Text:
Tally felt numb. Like she wasn't truly here. As the burning hot water kept hitting her back mercilessly, she didn't even mind the scorching heat.
She was sitting on the bathroom floor, leaning to the cold tile wall. Tally wasn't sure were those tears running down her cheeks or the water. Her whole body was sore and tired.
They had had such an intense and long training day. She could hardly walk back to her unit's room without collapsing. But she wasn't only feeling physical exhaustion.
She could still hear Gerit's voice in her head.
"I'm married Tally. And I am in love with her. I don't wanna see you anymore."
Tally couldn't hold back the sob that escaped from her lips.
How could've she been so naive?
Of course it was too good to last! Or too good to even be real in the first place.
Tally had been used before many times. She quessed it had something to do with her kind nature and the way she would trust other's so blindly.
The water kept pouring onto Tally and she could feel her eyelids grow heavier as the warmth and rhythmical sound of the falling water lulled her to sleep.
~~
"I'll go sleep over at Scylla's room. See you in the morning." Raelle said casually as she got up of her bed.
"Okay. See you." Abigail greeted.
Raelle and Abigail had both fallen asleep for a couple of hours after their crazy training. Tally had went to meet Gerit and neither had seen her since.
"Speaking about seeing, have you seen Tally after our training?" Raelle asked while tying her shoes.
"Now that you mentioned it. No. I haven't." Abigail wondered.
"Well, I'm sure she's just having some fun with Gerit." Raelle chuckled.
Abigail forced a laugh in return but inside she felt her heart ache at the thought. She knew Tally really liked the guy but she couldn't help but feel a little jealous.
She found that ridiculous. Tally showed a lot of affection towards Abigail and Abigail had gotten her hopes high, but Tally also showed affection easily to everyone and Abigail had most likely misread the signs.
She sighed as she turned to face the ceiling. She wanted to go look for the seeker, but at the same time if Raelle was right, she'd rather not see Tally and Gerit in act.
"I'll get going then. Tell Tally I said hi when she comes back." Raelle called before closing the door behind her.
After Raelle had exited the room, Abigail closed her eyes again. Maybe she should just go back to sleep.
Now that the room was quiet she suddenly noticed a faint and familiar sound. The shower was on.
Abigail raised an eyebrow. There was only one person who it could be. She walked to the bathroom door and knocked on it.
"Tally? You in there?" Abigail yelled so that the redhead could hear through the shower sounds.
No one answered and Abigail started to have a bad feeling in her gut. She knocked once more and when no one answered she stepped inside without invitation.
Abigail gasped out loud at what she saw.
Tally was slumbed to the bathroom floor while the water kept running over her naked body. She was clearly asleep.
Tally's skin was bruised after the training and make up was smuttered all over her face.
And even then, Tally was the most gorgeus sight Abigail had ever seen.
"Shit! Tally!?" Abigail cried in fear.
For a moment she feared did the seeker even breath. Abigail kneeled to the wet tile floor next to Tally and took her head onto her lap.
Tally's eyes fluttered open and she looked at Abigail confused.
"Abigail...?" Tally mumbled in a sleepy and raspy voice.
"What are you doing here pretty bird?" Abigail asked softly as she reached to turn the shower off.
Tally didn't know what to answer. She knew she could trust Abigail. Hell, she trusted Abigail more than any other being on the whole planet!
But she wasn't sure how she could explain everything. Because she felt so much she couldn't really wrap her mind around it. Everything was a confusing mess.
Abigail kept her eyes on Tally. The redhead squinted her eyes like she always did when she was deep in her thoughts.
Abigail got up from the floor and went to look for a towel to give to Tally. Really she just had to get moving and away from the sight in front of her. Seeing Tally like this broke Abigail's heart.
And what broke Abigail's heart the most was the redhead was completely emotionless.
Tally was always bubbling with emotion, happy or sad and everything in between. Tally Craven was the living exclamation mark after all.
Now Tally was quiet. She was just sitting there, not even trying to cover her naked body.
"Tally. Did something happen with Gerit?" Abigail asked carefully.
Tally's eyes flashed with an emotion Abigail couldn't quite name. It was a mixture of pain, anger and vulnerability.
"Why would you think so-" Tally started but couldn't finish.
Her whole body started to shake as sobs wrecked through her. She was a complete mess. And she didn't want Abigail to see her like this.
"Oh Tally..." Abigail whispered trying to hide the crack in her own voice.
Seeing Tally like this, a compelete wreck, made Abigail feel a lump in her throat. Whatever it was that Gerit had done or said, she was already planning on how to murder the boy.
"I-it's fine Abigail, really. I've got this under control." Tally tried to convince the leader.
Tally started to rise up and Abigail rushed back to her side as the redhead's tired legs almost gave out.
"Tally you are not fine. You fell asleep in the shower, god damn it!" Abigail cried in despair.
Abigail tried to get a hold of Tally, but Tally pushed her away.
"I said I've got this!" she yelled.
Tally felt like a child. Hopeless and too stubborn for her own good. She grapped a towel from Abigail's hands that she had been holding and wrapped it around herself.
She could hear Abigail sigh deeply.
"Fine. Let's go then. You need some rest." Abigail said and was about to start leading Tally back to their shared room.
But Tally wasn't ready. And something made her mind mad at the way Abigail tried to help. How Abigail tried to take the lead.
Simply to protest at Abigail, Tally walked to the opposite side of the bathroom and sat down.
"Are you kidding me?" Abigail asked starting to grow frustrated.
Tally pulled her knees to her chest and hid her face into her arms. She just wanted to vanish.
"Well. You're coming to bed whether you like it or not." Abigail told simply.
"Come over here and make me!" Tally spat out.
She knew she was being unfair and childish and that Abigail only wanted to help. But she was also tired and not ready to face the reality. Not ready to leave the comfort of the shower.
Here she could be alone and in quiet and pretend nothing bad had happened.
"Tally Craven. You will not spend a minute longer here. You'll get hypothermia!" Abigail said in a such a stern voice that it made Tally shiver.
Abigail marched to Tally and scooped the redhead into her arms in bridal style. Tally tried to scream and kick so that Abigail would let her go.
But Abigail hold on firmly. She would not let go of Tally. Not ever.
~~
Abigail literally threw the squirming redhead to her bed. Tally curled into a ball and turned her back to Abigail.
Abigail left her be and went to look for some pyjamas for the girl to wear.
Tally tried to calm down. Her heart was beating wildly. Abigail had just held her. And it had felt good.
Despite Tally trying to fight it, she couldn't deny that she had felt extremely safe in the leader's arms.
Tally slowly turned around so that she could see the brunette. Abigail was walking back to the bed with some clothes in her hands.
"Here. Put them on." Abigail ordered softly.
~~
Abigail ran her hand through Tally's hair. Tally was resting on her lap.
After some coaxing the leader had managed to get the seeker to come near her so that she could brush her hair.
Abigail and Tally often brushed each other's hair. It was something they both found very calming and comforting.
They would talk about everything and nothing and just enjoy each other's company.
But this time they didn't speak. Abigail could see Tally's eyes close as the bursh brushed against her scalp and was glad to notice the redhead was clearly enjoying the contact.
After Abigail got done with Tally's hair, the seeker had curled up on her lap.
"Tell me." Abigail said, breaking the silence that had fell in to the room.
Tally met her eyes. Tally's eyes had a hesitant look. As if she wasn't completely sure herself how to explain what had happened. As if she couldn't put it into words.
Tally took a deep breath.
"Well..." she started.
~~
Tally told it all.
How she had went to meet Gerit all excited after training. How the boy had took her hand and lead them behind the main building, out of other's sight.
How Gerit had started to talk. How he had told about his wife. How he had told that he loved her. How he didn't want to see Tally anymore.
How he had to hurry to see his wife.
"I'm so sorry Tal." Abigail managed to say.
"I just don't wanna feel anything anymore! I'm tired of feeling so much all the damn time. I don't wanna feel like I still care about him." Tally whispered.
Abigail felt as Tally started to shake. She felt a bang of pain in her heart. How could anyone live with themselves knowing they had hurten Tally?
Tally hid her face against Abigail's belly and Abigail could feel her shirt get wet as Tally cried.
"Ssh. I know it's not okay right now. But it will be. I've got you." Abigail spoke softly.
Tally kept crying. As much as it hurted Abigail, she also knew it was important to let the other witch let it all out.
"I-it's just that... I should've known. How could someone like him... With someone like me...?" Tally sobbed.
"No. Tally, what he did was awful. You didn't deserve it." Abigail comforted as she held the crying witch tight.
And he never deserved you, Abigail added in her mind.
~~
Abigail glanced at a clock on her desk. 3 am. She glanced at her lap. Tally was fast asleep and still snuggled close to her.
Abigail smiled at the sight. Tally looked so peaceful, so precious.
At that moment, Abigail made an agreement with herself. No matter what, no matter when or where, she would always protect Tally.
She would keep her safe.
Abigail placed a soft kiss on Tally's forehead. The other witch mumbled something in her sleep, causing Abigail to grin.
Tally Craven was officially the cutest thing on Earth.
"Abigail..." Tally mumbled.
Abigail looked at the redhead curious. Was she dreaming about her?
"Abigail." the seeker repeated, this time more audible.
Abigail brushed some hair off of Tally's face. She couldn't help but wonder what was happening in the dream.
Suddenly she could feel Tally start tossing and turning. She could feel Tally try to push away from Abigail's hold.
"Abigail! No! Abigail!" Tally started crying out.
A nightmare, Abigail thought.
She gently started shaking Tally to wake her up as carefully as possible.
"Tally, hey. Tally sweetie. Wake up." she would call gently.
Tally shot up with eyes wide. She glanced around frantic. When she finally met Abigail's eyes, her's filled with tears.
"You're here..." Tally whispered tearfully.
"Right here." Abigail answered and interwined their fingers.
"I thought... You were..." Tally tried to explain.
"Ssh. It's okay pretty bird. I'm here. I'm here with you." Abigail shushed.
Tally hid her face into Abigail's neck. Abigail wrapped her into the tightest hug.
"I've got you Tal. I've got you." Abigail whsipered over and over in the darkness.
Tally calmed down after awhile and stayed close to the unit leader.
"I'm sorry..." Tally said suddenly.
"You have nothing to apologize for." Abigail answered sternly.
"Thank you for tonight Abbi. No. Thank you for everything." Tally whispered.
"Anytime pretty bird. Anytime." Abigail told as she could feel sleep taking over.
~~
Raelle was on her way back to her unit's room with Scylla. She couldn't hide the smile on her face.
She could still hear Scylla's calling her name over and over as they had had some much needed fun together.
"What are you smiling about?" Scylla asked.
"Well... Just thinking about last night..." Raelle smirked as the necro blushed.
"And thinking about you under me-" Raelle continued in a teasing voice but Scylla didn't let her finish.
Scylla hit the back of Raelle's head gently.
"Hey!" Raelle cried and pretented to be hurt.
"I'm sorry dollface but not in public." Scylla chuckled and gave Raelle's cheek a soft kiss.
"Yeah, yeah." Raelle laughed as they reached the door.
They stepped in and Raelle's eyes widened at the sight infront of them.
Abigail and Tally were sleeping together in Abigail's bed, curled tightly onto each other.
"Finally!" Raelle cried not able to hold her excitment.
She had been paying close attention to the way her unit mates would glance at each other when they thought no one saw. Or the way they would always be close or touch each other even when it wasn't necessary.
"You owe me 30 bucks!" Raelle said in victory as Scylla groaned.
"What's going on? Why are you shitbirds yelling?" Abigail grunted as she woke up to the noisy duo.
As Abigail tried to sit up, she could feel someone grap a tight hold on her neck.
"Five more minutes." Tally mumbled still half asleep.
"Pretty bird I think you wanna get up now. We have a crowd here." Abigail said softly.
Tally rose her head up quickly and turned to see Raelle and Scylla. She could feel her face turn red.
"Good morning Tal. Slept well?" Raelle greeted trying to hold back a chuckle.
"Oh, no Raelle. I swear we didn't... We just..." Tally tried to explain flustered.
"Hey. It's okay Tally. I was only joking." Raelle said gently.
"So I get to keep the 30 bucks?" Scylla grinned.
"In your dreams." Raelle answered and kissed the necro's forehead as she pouted.
~~
After the girls had shared a breakfast together, Raelle and Scylla had went for a walk together, leaving Abigail and Tally on their own.
Abigail kept glancing at Tally as they sat next to each other on her bed in silence in their room. She could feel tension rising in the air.
"Abbi?" Tally broke the silence.
"Yeah?" Abigail answered, slightly nervous.
"I know I just got dumbed by Gerit but... I want this. I want you. I want us." Tally confessed tears glimmering in her eyes.
"Tally..." Abigail whispered.
That was the moment when Abigail had had it. She was done pretending. Done holding back.
She wanted Tally. She wanted Tally in every possible way.
Abigail cupped Tally's cheeks and pulled her in a kiss.
The kiss was passionate and filled with hunger. Both girls had been wanting this for so long. Maybe not even realizing how much.
They pulled apart only when the need for air grew overwhelming.
Abigail met Tally's eyes and could see trust and love. It made Abigail laugh in pure happiness.
Tally looked at Abigail confused.
"Was it bad? Did I do something-" Tally started worrying but Abigail stopped her mid sentence.
Abigail got up and picked Tally up from the waist and spun them around, causing Tally to giggle.
"No silly! You just made me the happiest I've ever been!" Abigail confessed.
Tally tippy toed and gave a soft kiss on Abigail's chin.
"I love you." Tally said with a dazzling smile.
"I love you too. So much." Abigail answered as she hugged Tally close to herself.
Here in her arms was where she belonged.